Forever
by aisu tenshi 831
Summary: Neji has one last night to spend with his family before leaving on a mission he has no hope of returning from.


Disclaimer: Papa Roach owns the song "Forever" and I do not own Naruto either

Forever

In the brightest hour

Of my darkest day

I realized

What is wrong with me

For the first time in his life, he was afraid. The mission he had just been chosen to go on almost guaranteed that he would die. Unfortunately he was the only one that would be able to do it with the remotest chances of it succeeding. He didn't want to go, but he had to, it was his duty to protect his village and her.

The mission itself wasn't what was scaring him, it was telling her, his wife. He had resigned himself over a decade ago that he would die on some mission. But he was 25 now with a wife and a year old son. He still accepted his death, but he didn't want to put Sakura through it. He wanted to be able to spend more time with her and his son. He wanted to teach him how to use his bloodline trait. It would be up to Hinata to teach him now.

Can't get over you

Can't get through to you

It's been a helter-skelter, romance from the start

With heavy feet he climbed the few steps that led up to his house. He proceeded inside and was accosted by the smell of her cooking. He would miss this. Taking off his shoes he proceeded into the living room. Hizashi was in his crib; he stopped and put his hand on his son's head and smiled at the sleeping baby.

"Neji-kun is that you?" her voice called from the kitchen.

He just closed his eyes, enjoying the sound, "Yeah," he said shortly. He began to think back on when he first realized that he loved her. It was after the Gaara retrieval mission, she had absolutely blown him away with how much she had progressed and grew.

He had pushed his feelings aside, not understanding them at the time. But when he saw her and her brother (as they liked to call themselves siblings) bringing back the missing member of their team, he knew he couldn't deny it. And when he realized that she didn't love the Uchiha anymore he knew he had a chance and he took it.

Take these memories

That are haunting me

Of a paper man cut into shreds

By his own pair of scissors

She appeared in the living room from the kitchen, a small apron across her lap, though she was covered in flour everywhere else but there.

A small smile graced his face as he saw her, "You know the apron is to keep the ingredients off of you, not ward them away," he pointed out.

"You are so amusing," she said rolling her eyes. She moved over and wrapped her arms around his neck. Standing on the tips of her toes she gave him a kiss on the lips. It was brief but the feeling and her lips lingered there for a moment after contact was broken.

He felt his heart sink in his chest when he realized what would happen tomorrow morning.

He'll never forgive her...

He'll never forgive her...

They sat at the dinner table eating while she talked about the hospital and what little Hizashi had done today.

Neji just sat there staring at her, savoring the scene that she made. She was so animated and happy, it was one of the things that he loved about her. She had been the one to melt the icy barrier that he had built around himself after his father died in place of his uncle.

"Neji what is wrong?" she suddenly asked worriedly, "You are quiet tonight even by your standards."

He usually would have come up with sarcastic remark to her statement, but the words died on his lips. As much as he loved to agitate her, because he loved to see her so riled up, he couldn't bring himself to do it tonight. His last night with her. "After dinner," he said softly.

She nodded worriedly and pushed her food around with her fork.

Because days! Come and go!

But my feelings for you are forever

While she was doing the dishes he sat on the couch holding his son savoring the feeling of it. He would never get to see his boy grow up. He wouldn't get to be there when he entered the academy, his graduation, his exams, him dating, getting married, or when he had children.

He placed a light kiss on his forehead.

Tiny arms wrapped around him from behind and a second later her chin rested on his shoulder, "Are you ready to talk to me yet?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," he answered softly, getting up so he could place Hizashi in his crib. He met her halfway and wrapped his arms around her.

"Neji-kun," she began softly.

"I was given a mission today," he began.

"What rank?" she asked in a strained voice.

"It is unranked," he said, "I can't give you the details," he lifted her face up so that she was looking into his eyes. He could see the tears were starting to well up. She was a shinobi as well, she knew what this meant, "I am almost guaranteed to die," he told her.

Because days come and go

But my feelings for you are forever

"Can't you refuse it?" Sakura asked the tears falling now. She knew that he couldn't.

"I am the only one with any chance of completing it," he answered her.

She pulled away and turned her back to him. Despite everything that they had been through together, she still hated for him to see her cry. He watched her shoulders quaking and he could hear her strained breathing as she fought back the tears.

Reaching out he put his hand on her shoulder.

She quickly spun around and buried her face in his chest. His arms wrapped around her tightly trying to soothe her with his presence. Letting her know that he was with her right now, he always would be, maybe just not in the physical sense .

"Sakura," he said softly into her hair.

Sitting by the fire

On a lonely night

Hanging over from another good time

"Can't you refuse?" she asked desperately. She looked up tears leaving trails down her cheeks, "Can't you for Hizashi and me?"

"You know I can't," he said, "I could no sooner refuse than you would if you were in my situation."

She pulled away and went into the kitchen.

He could hear her loud sobs. He gave her a moment then followed after her.

She was sitting at the table crying desperately one elbow propped on the table while that hand covered her eyes. The other one was fisted in the fabric of her shirt.

With another girl...

Little dirty girl

You should listen to this story of a life

"You can't leave me and Hizashi alone!" she cried frantically, "What are we going to do without you here?"

"Sakura you are the strongest person I know," he began kneeling in front of her. "I know that you will be able to be strong and pull through. You have to. Hizashi will need you to be strong and there for him."

"He'll need his father," she retaliated.

It stung. He knew that this was not going to go over well, but he wanted his last night with her to be something special.

"He'll have your brother to look after him," Neji told her, "Him and the others will be here for you and will help you in any way you need."

You're my heroin-

In this moment I'm lonely

"Neji, you don't understand," she cried pulling her hand away from her eyes so she could look at him, "I need you. I can't function on my own without you. I can hardly stand it when you are gone for a week. What am I going to do for a lifetime?"

full filling my darkest dreams

All these drugs, all these women

He reached out and touched her cheek gently, "I am sorry Sakura," he said gently, "This is something that I have to do to protect the village, but most importantly Hizashi and you."

I'm never forgiving...

this broken heart of mine

"You can't protect me if you are dead," she said shortly.

"Sakura please," Neji came very close to begging her.

She just cried harder.

"Don't let our last night together pass like this," he pleaded with her.

"Neji!" she cried and launched herself into his arms.

If he had been anyone other than the Hyuuga Neji, he would have fallen from the force. As it was he was able to maintain his balance and wrapped his arms around her tightly.

Because days! Come and go!

But my feelings for you are forever

Because days come and go

But my feelings for you are forever

"I love you so much," she cried. She held onto his face and began to kiss him frantically. He pulled her body closer to his own and returned the kiss with just as much desperation, anxiety and love.

One last kiss...

Before I go...

They made their way frantically to their bedroom, kissing and leaving a trail of clothes in their wake along with several objects that were knocked to the floor in their haste. They both needed this, to be with each other one last time.

She fell backwards onto the bed, tears streaming down her eyes.

Dry your tears...

It is time to let you go...

He moved so that he was straddling her. Leaning over he tenderly whipped her eyes before he began to kiss her again. He needed her, he needed so much that it was painful. He would never be able to hold her again.

She needed him, all of him. She needed to know that he was real; come tomorrow her life with him would become a dream to her. Leaving her with just the nightmares.

One last kiss(One last kiss)

Before I go(Before I go)

They lied in bed together wrapped in each other's arms. Fingers gently tracing over the contours of each other's skin, trying to preserve the feel and shape of each other. Neither one of them wanted to pull away or succumb to the sleep that was pulling at them.

Dry your tears(Dry your tears)

It is time to let you go...

Several times during the night, she succumbed to the tears; only to have them gently brushed and kissed away by her husband.

Because days! Come and go!

But my feelings for you are forever

All too soon, morning came. They parted from each other as she began to make breakfast and he got ready to get a shower. She had just begun making the batter for the pancakes when he appeared in the kitchen in just a towel. He grabbed her and dragged her into the bathroom.

"I don't want you to leave my side right now," he confessed to her.

She began to kiss him under the steady flow of warm water.

Because days come and go

But my feelings for you are forever

After a fairly long shower she began to get dressed while he held his son and feed him his baby food for the last time. He didn't say anything but he saw that more often then not she was crying while she got his food ready.

While they ate she was able to keep her tears under control. She pretended to eat for his benefit, but he noticed that she was just pushing her food around with her fork to make him think that she was.

One last kiss(One last kiss)

Before I go(Before I go)

While he got dressed, she gathered up all his stuff he would need and packed it for him, along with a couple lunches.

Just watching her, pretending to be strong, packing his stuff like he was a child going off to school tore at his heart. She wasn't ok with this, she never would be. And to be honest, he was seriously regretting his decision to take the mission. Right now he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and forget everything else.

Dry your tears(Dry your tears)

It is time to let you go...

Neji held his son one last time before he gave him a kiss on the head and placed him in his crib. He turned and looked at Sakura, she was standing there, ringing her hands together while she bit her lower lip to keep from crying.

"So this is it?" she began sadly.

He nodded slightly.

"Take care," she said, "You'll at least try to come home."

"Of course," he nodded.

There was a strained and heavy silence.

One last kiss...

Before I go...

Sakura suddenly launched herself into his arms and held on tightly. He held her as close as he could.

"I love you Neji-kun," she whispered into the crook of his neck, "I always will."

He angled up her face and kissed her desperately. He wasn't a man for words, but right now he wanted to really show her just how much he loved her and how he would be there for her always no matter what happened.

Her knees went weak and she would have fallen if it weren't for his arms holding her in place. After the need for air split them apart a fifth time he rested his forehead against hers. She smiled lightly for him.

He knew it was forced but she still looked beautiful and the fact that she was trying for him made him ache. He loved her so much.

He lowered his head and gently whispered, "I love you," in her ear.

Moving away he pulled his mask down and grabbed his bag and headed out of the house. He was grateful for the mask, otherwise people would have seen the tears that rolled down his own cheeks.

Dry your tears...

It is time to let you go...

Sakura wore all black as she stood in front of the cold, unforgiving monument. Naruto stood with Hinata, just behind her in case she needed something. She could hear Hinata crying as softly as she could while she held her cousin's child.

Sakura held back her tears as she clutched the picture of him to her chest. A hand wondered down and rested on her stomach. She could feel it there; it was definitely his. A mixture of his and her chakra was forming in her stomach. Neji had been so proud and excited when she got pregnant the first time and she had no doubt that he was just as much so in heaven.

She brought her fingers up to her lips and lightly kissed them. She placed them over the newly carved name, "Hyuuga Neji."

One Last Kiss.

3/8/07


End file.
